On Wednesday's Houston Matters: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Monday that carbon dioxide levels are the highest the earth has seen in 4 million years. We explore what local energy companies and environmental groups are doing to reduce Greater Houston’s contribution to that.

Also this hour: We discuss the latest news in our weekly political roundup.

Then, a year after a tumultuous wave of protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death, a forum at the University of Houston today assesses if we’ve made any progress toward racial equity.

And, as audiences return to live performances and art lovers flock to museums and galleries, we ask some of the players in Houston’s arts scene to look back on how they adapted to life during the height of the pandemic.